Tilton on the Hill
Encyclopedia
Tilton on the Hill is a village and civil parish
in the Harborough
district of Leicestershire
. It lies 2 miles north of the A47
, on the B6047 to Melton Mowbray
. Halstead civil parish was merged with Tilton in 1935, while the deserted medieval village
of Whatborough was merged in 1994. Marefield
remains a separate civil parish, but is part of the Tilton Electoral Ward. St. Peter's Tilton, the parish Church is in the parish of Halstead, as is the vicarage.
Tilton on the Hill is one of the highest places in East Leicestershire at 719 feet (219.2 m) above sea level, with the Mill House standing at the highest point. The centre of the village was designated a Conservation Area
in 1975, with the boundaries updated in 1994 and 2005.
In 2009, the village was named as the Best Village in Leicestershire in the Calor Village of the Year
competition and also won Calor Sustainability Village of the Year for the Midlands.
The Village Hall
stands near the centre of the village.
The village's post office
was replaced by an 'Outreach Service' in 2008, serving the village on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
Tilton railway station
on the Great Northern Railway
was closed in 1953. The railway cutting is a Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest
and is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
.
) and Halstead Methodist Chapel.
to a priest. Much of the current church dates to the 13th and 14th Century and is a landmark for miles around. In 1854 substantial restoration work was carried out, which led to the removal of the gallery at the west end of the church, as well as the medieval chancel screen.
St. Peter's contains the tombs of Sir Johan de Diggebye and his wife, dated 1269. The tomb of Sir Everard Digby is dated 1509.
, was built in 1813 on land let on a 99 year lease by T. Sikes esq. for a nominal 3 peppercorn rent. The chapel was enlarged in 1834, again in 1862 and restored in the late 1980s. Confusingly, while the entrance to Halstead Methodist Chapel lies in Halstead, it is predominantly built on land in Tilton.
St. Peter's Church is grade I listed, while a further 18 buildings are grade II listed
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Harborough
Harborough
Harborough is a local government district of Leicestershire, England, named after its main town, Market Harborough. Covering , the District is by far the largest of the eight district authorities in Leicestershire and covers almost a quarter of the County....
district of Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. It lies 2 miles north of the A47
A47 road
The A47 is a trunk road in England originally linking Birmingham to Great Yarmouth. Most of the section between Birmingham and Nuneaton is now classified as the B4114.-Route:...
, on the B6047 to Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
. Halstead civil parish was merged with Tilton in 1935, while the deserted medieval village
Deserted medieval village
In the United Kingdom, a deserted medieval village is a former settlement which was abandoned during the Middle Ages, typically leaving no trace apart from earthworks or cropmarks. If there are fewer than three inhabited houses the convention is to regard the site as deserted; if there are more...
of Whatborough was merged in 1994. Marefield
Marefield
Marefield is a hamlet and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 20. It was also the birthplace of Wire drummer Robert Gotobed, and Thomas Hooker, one of the main founders of Connecticut, USA....
remains a separate civil parish, but is part of the Tilton Electoral Ward. St. Peter's Tilton, the parish Church is in the parish of Halstead, as is the vicarage.
Tilton on the Hill is one of the highest places in East Leicestershire at 719 feet (219.2 m) above sea level, with the Mill House standing at the highest point. The centre of the village was designated a Conservation Area
Conservation Area (United Kingdom)
In the United Kingdom, the term Conservation Area nearly always applies to an area considered worthy of preservation or enhancement because of its special architectural or historic interest, "the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance," as required by the Planning ...
in 1975, with the boundaries updated in 1994 and 2005.
In 2009, the village was named as the Best Village in Leicestershire in the Calor Village of the Year
Calor Village of the Year
The Calor Village of the Year comprised 4 annual competitions organised by gas provider Calor to identify the villages that best met the following criteria: "a well-balanced, pro-active, caring community which has made the best of local opportunities to maintain and enhance the quality of life for...
competition and also won Calor Sustainability Village of the Year for the Midlands.
Services
The village has one public house called the Rose & Crown and one general store. The village is served by Kyriacou's Fish 'n' Chip van twice a week.The Village Hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
stands near the centre of the village.
The village's post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was replaced by an 'Outreach Service' in 2008, serving the village on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
Tilton railway station
Tilton railway station
Tilton railway station was a railway station serving the village of Tilton on the Hill, Leicestershire. It was also the railhead for Skeffington and Owston. The station was 1.3 miles east of Tilton on the road to Oakham. It was 1.7 miles from Owston and 2.3 miles from Skeffington by public...
on the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
was closed in 1953. The railway cutting is a Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
and is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland, England. Founded in 1956, the trust now has 9,000 members helping care for over 30 nature reserves covering more than across the region...
.
Churches
There are two churches in Tilton on the Hill: St. Peter's Tilton on the Hill (Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
) and Halstead Methodist Chapel.
St. Peter's Church
The first known mention of a religious establishment in Tilton is a reference in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
to a priest. Much of the current church dates to the 13th and 14th Century and is a landmark for miles around. In 1854 substantial restoration work was carried out, which led to the removal of the gallery at the west end of the church, as well as the medieval chancel screen.
St. Peter's contains the tombs of Sir Johan de Diggebye and his wife, dated 1269. The tomb of Sir Everard Digby is dated 1509.
Halstead Methodist Chapel
Halstead Methodist Chapel, a Wesleyan chapelMethodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
, was built in 1813 on land let on a 99 year lease by T. Sikes esq. for a nominal 3 peppercorn rent. The chapel was enlarged in 1834, again in 1862 and restored in the late 1980s. Confusingly, while the entrance to Halstead Methodist Chapel lies in Halstead, it is predominantly built on land in Tilton.
Scheduled Ancient Monuments
There are 5 Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Tilton on the Hill:| S.A.M. Number | S.A.M. Description | Grid reference |
|---|---|---|
| 17014 | Moated site at Tilton | |
| 105 | Churchyard Cross | |
| 106 | Mound 220yds north-west of church | |
| 186 | Defended enclosure on Robin-a-Tiptoe Hill | |
| 17090 | Whatborough deserted medieval village |
St. Peter's Church is grade I listed, while a further 18 buildings are grade II listed
External links
- Tilton on the Hill with information on the genealogy of Tilton.
- 2001 Census Tilton Parish Profile
- Tilton Parish Walks
- Leicestershire Villages community website with information on local organisations and activities.
- Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
- High Leicestershire Character Area
- Leicestershire Record Office records for Tilton on the Hill.
- History, Gazetteer and Directory of the Counties of Leicestershire and Rutland, William White . Published 1846
- History, Gazetteer and Directory of the Counties of Leicestershire and Rutland, William White . Published 1863